Andalusia & Algarve

Destination: The Atlantic Ocean! We ride the backroads of rural Andalusia, an area where we’ll be taking the road less travelled through mountainous and hilly areas. The Guadalquivir river valley, the second longest river in Spain, will carry us through to the suburbs of Seville and then to the Donana National Park. There, in a very important area for the European part of the migratory birds’ journey South, we’ll be spending the night right on the shore of the Atlantic Ocean.

A night in the strong Atlantic air gives us the energy for another exciting day in the saddle. Once again we make our way through the mountains, on curvy roads, this time toward the coast of Portugal and to the Algarve, one of the richest areas of the country in the Monchique Mountains, then we come back to the Atlantic shores, to the sandy beaches of the Algarve, toward Lagos, one of the reasons that apps like Instagram were invented.

North doesn’t have to mean cold. This is the day that we’ll do a relaxed climb up the coastal road, with the Atlantic to our left, looking for the mouth of the Tajo River, the longest river in the Iberian Peninsula. Until we cross the bridge that take us to Lisbon, our host for the evening, we’ll experience a mix between the rural and the coastal Portuguese environments, with villages built around activities that have something to do with fishing.

So far, we haven’t heard of anyone who became bored on a day trip to Lisbon. A vibrant city that mixes the modern ways with a rich past, Lisbon awaits with its impressive churches, remarkable palaces and neighborhoods build on seven hills. The nightlife in Lisbon would deserve its own chapter.

After the long night that just passed, we have a day that’s mercifully shorter. Toward Cascais, an former modest port, evolved into what passes now for a Monaco of Portugal, then to the Westernmost point of Continental Europe, Cabo da Roca. Instagram, here we come! The coastal road that we’ll be riding is one favoured by riders from the Iberian Peninsula because it offers a perfect view to the beaches populated by surfers. We’ll reach the Sintra National Palace, the former holiday residence for Portuguese royalty for centuries. In the evening, we dine in Evora, a UNESCO world heritage site.

Today we take pictures and buy souvenirs because we’re leaving Portugal. Tyres will tread Andalusian asphalt again, in the hilly Sierra Morena and Sierra de Aracena, where everything seems to have been designed to offer maximum riding pleasure. In the Riotinto mining area, we can find what locals call the best “jamon” of the entire Iberian Peninsula. Actually, the best jamon in the world: Jabugo Jamon.

Many things have been said and written about Seville and we’ll have the opportunity to live it all during a rest day. Flamenco, good food, relaxation and impressive architecture, almost as exciting as a day of riding the bike.

We leave one of the most important landmarks of Andalusia in all its beauty and we head South, through a rural landscape of far-reaching plains, only to ride up Grazalema Mountains, where we’ll find one of the most spectacular mountain passes from that area. The day ends in Arcos de la Frontera, a white city, specific to Andalusia, not at all recommended to people who are scared of heights.

We again put the edges of our tyres to work, because we have a day that starts off with very curvy roads. We’ll ride on roads that go across cork oak forests and we’ll understand why almost a quarter of global cork production comes from Spain. We resist the temptation to stop in every white town along our route, but we are repaid for our strength by Ronda, our destination for the day. This is a town that was built in a manner that kind of defies the laws of physics, full of life an tourist landmarks.

We don’t spare our tires at all and we keep having fun on the mountainous curvy road that leads us to Malaga. Our destination awaits with a farewell dinner and with the opportunity to do some shopping for some Iberian supplies for the winter that is to come.

Fully loaded with unforgettable experiences and with memories just ripe for storytelling, it’s time to head for the airport. We’ll see each other again on our next tour!